


Rainbow In Your Head

by orion_andbeyond



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Inside Out Au, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-13 10:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5703556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orion_andbeyond/pseuds/orion_andbeyond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief description on how the mechanism of Jongin’s mind works and how he uses them to confess to his favourite hyung.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainbow In Your Head

**Author's Note:**

> Quick disclaimer, there are no Bashful or Pride in the real movie. Do you know how hard it is to insert everyone in the fic?? DO YOU??? Written for Kaisoo day = Jan 13th <3

  
  
It’s raining cats and dogs, soaking him wet from top to bottom, but he cannot bring himself to mind. The soft melodies of guitar strings and lovely voices make for a good mix, lulling Jongin in his reverie. He didn’t think, didn’t let his mind wonder as he takes his time under the rain, smiling as he twirls under the consistent droplets with his earphones tuck in. Jongin feels the happiest when he’s one with nature, almost feels like he belongs with them.  
  
In headquarters, Joy Baekhyun twirls with him, humming the exact same tune under his breath and mirroring the exact same movements as his kid. His teenager. Oh, all right, his _young adult_. Either way, he giggles as Jongin splashes water on his worn sneakers, not giving a care for the world.  
  
Disgust Sehun scrunches his nose, frowning. “That’s unsanitary. I know I’m a lazy ass but I think it’s time I press some buttons.”  
  
“Oh shut it, Sehun, at least the boy is proud of his sneakers.” Pride Chen replies, smugly smiling as he watches Baekhyun dances. “He’s a man. A man doesn’t need to care about such simple things.”  
  
“Excuse me? Simple things?” Sehun slams the control board, effectively waking Sadness Lay from his nap. “Those sneakers haven’t been washed in Ages. Jongin’s 20, he oughta-“  
  
“INCOMING CAT AT 12 O’CLOCK!” Fear Suho screeches, shoving everyone away as he clumsily takes over the board. Jongin immediately halts in his merry way and jumps at the sight of a kitten the size of his palm, emitting a shriek. Not particularly loud, but a few girls took notice and laughed at him. The boy burns in embarrassment as Bashful Seulgi casually flicks a switch.  
  
“Whew, I saved that one.” Suho settles back in his cot nearby, picking the memory manual for a casual afternoon read. Sehun sends a look of disapproval at him. Lay just smiles and takes his place near the large windows facing the islands. He probably likes Dog Island the most, seeing as how he always seems to admire it. There’s also Dance and Niece Islands, and of course, Family. Singing. Slumber. Common Jongin 411s.  
  
But the one Island that stands out the most is of course-  
  
“Jongina.”  
  
_Kyungsoo Island_.  
  
Seulgi is back in her station, doing her best to maneuver Jongin. Beside her, Baekhyun observes his timing carefully, preparing to go into action. He tends to work together with Seulgi sometimes, considering how Jongin is rather timid. He shies away easily from other people but surprisingly, Kyungsoo manages to break that wall.  
  
“Oh-h, hey hyung,” Jongin stutters out, his blush lost in the blur of the drizzle. “What are you doing here?”  
  
Sighing, Kyungsoo stands on his tiptoes to get the umbrella over Jongin’s head. He doesn’t have the best expression on, mostly looking very guarded. Baekhyun pouts as Lay grazes a few buttons.  
  
“You shouldn’t dance under the rain like this, you can catch a cold!” Kyungsoo frets, holding onto Jongin’s shoulder as he wipes some of the small puddles trapped in the crinkled fabrics of Jongin’s clothes. The handkerchief feels gentle against him, propelling him to feel appreciated. Kyungsoo Island is as jolly as ever, complete with a rainbow sprouting out of nowhere. It caused a loud boom, waking Anger Chanyeol this time around.  
  
Then again, Chanyeol barely works anymore since Jongin tends to feel gloomy instead of unleashing his fury. Lay gets to do overtime in some abnormal days. Life is getting rough these days, but as long as Baekhyun is around, he will try his best to make Jongin’s day worth the trouble.  
  
He speaks too soon, he soon realizes.  
  
“There, all done. Now let’s go to the café.” Kyungsoo tugs at the younger male’s wrist, dragging him. There’s a light spring in his steps, seemingly very excited in the prospect of warm drinks in this cool weather. But Jongin knows no amount of scalding, bitter coffee can get Kyungsoo to the café unless Minseok hyung is on duty.  
  
“Minseok,” Chanyeol appears almost magically next to Baekhyun, squinting as he tastes the name on his tongue. He probably hates it. “The root of our problems.”  
  
“What if Kyungsoo likes him?” Lay asks softly, his lips quivering. “What about our happily ever after?”  
  
“We can’t have that! Kyungsoo loves Jongin!” Chen squares his jaw and exhales harshly from his nose.  
  
“Says who?” Sehun helpfully offers, looking every bit of a brat that he is. He simply indulges in the sight of Suho sweating in his cot at the probability. “We can never be too sure, you know?”  
  
Rolling his eyes, Baekhyun tap-tap-taps at the board and grabs a memory ball supplied, flashing it in Jongin’s mind to shut everyone up. It’s that damned Dumb Dumb song again, with the freaky legs-in-a-box and girls in oversized head ribbons. Chanyeol shouts in disdain as he takes cover behind the walls, hissing at the screen, whereas Lay and Chen sing-along. Sehun is perpetually unimpressed, with Seulgi at the side filing her nails. Suho is still in his cot, but he stops sweating, which is always positive.  
  
Well, this is how Baekhyun lives his life. He might not be the best emotion, but he tries. He tries a lot. He always hopes for the best, to be optimistic in his effort to keep Jongin happy. Then again, there are lots of things that can make Jongin happy, which is why Chanyeol and Sehun are basically almost unemployed. It can’t be helped that Jongin would feel sad sometimes, but it’s okay. Not every life can be as carefree as Baekhyun wants. A good balance of everything is always the best solution.  
  
Baekhyun, together with Sadness Lay, Anger Chanyeol, Disgust Sehun, Fear Suho, Pride Chen and Bashful Seulgi make up the emotions in Jongin. It’s hard work trying to get everyone to cooperate with each other, but they had 20 years worth of practice already, so he doesn’t worry much. He just hopes, well, he just hopes he will still be of use when his lovely Jongin reaches 21, 22, 23, or until his old age.  
  
Still, Jongin is down way too often as of late. It’s not unusual, but it’s disconcerting. He is in his stage in life where he is still learning about how to deal with _a lot_ of things though, so Baekhyun understands that and he is willing to hold Jongin’s hand through it. It’s just a rough patch in his path, no big deal.  
  
Oh, how Baekhyun can only hope that it won’t be a big deal.  
  
“Um, is Kyungsoo trying to chat-up the barista? What?” Sehun’s frown makes him look constipated. “And what the fuck is the guy serving us? Coffee? Ew, that thing is illegal in 50 countries.”  
  
Courtesy of Sehun, Jongin discreetly pushes the cup away. Chen hollers next to him. As common tradition for whenever Jongin is anywhere near Kyungsoo, all 7 emotions gather around the board, ready to react.  
  
Chen is the second to act, slapping some buttons making Jongin scoff at the innocent brew. Baekhyun eyes him, exactly like how Kyungsoo does it, all judgy and awful.  
  
“That’s not very nice, Jongin. He made it especially for you,” Kyungsoo’s words are clipped, he could be mad?  
  
Suho interjects hesitantly. “Um, guys, maybe we should discuss our tactics first?”  
  
He is ignored as Sehun pulls some switches. Jongin mutters a “whatever,” under his breath, and Baekhyun can only brace for the consequences. Kyungsoo never likes sass, Jongin’s in particular, so a lot can result from this. The possibilities are endless.  
  
“Say that out loud if you dare,” Kyungsoo says, his voice low. Yes, he is most definitely mad. Baekhyun and Seulgi share a look of Oh Shit. The board is still being dominated by Chanyeol and Sehun, probably unleashing their desire to finally have something to work on. Suho bites his nails at light speed, with Lay and Chen touching the occasional stray buttons. Oh shit, indeed.  
  
Baekhyun can’t have this, so he pounces on Sehun to get him away from the board. Judging from the look on his face, he was about to do something Very Bad, and that’s against Baekhyun’s life mission. From where he’s sprawled on top of Sehun – the baby wailing – he listens to Suho and Seulgi containing a mad Chanyeol, his flaming red hair replaced with actual flames, the fire in his eyes blinding as he struggles to reach his buttons. It’s a mess of emotions handling one another in an effort to keep Jongin happy.  
  
He just forgot one other feelingsy feeling that can make this worse. And there he is, curiously flicking his switches.  
  
Chen simply cackles as Lay conjures his magic, making Jongin sigh before standing up from his seat at the counter and trudging out of the café. It’s a first, to leave Kyungsoo behind in the middle of their weekly café dates, at least that’s what they all dub it.  
  
Jongin never looks back. The rainbow in Kyungsoo Island gets shot by lightning and heavy rain as it pours heavily in Jongin’s world. That’s also a first.  
  
  
  
  
As he reaches the bus stop, Jongin sits alone in the deserted area and runs his fingers through his wet hair. He ran in the rain, but he wasn’t as soaked as before. His clothes are damp and uncomfortable now, but he can’t seem to care. The only thing Jongin can think of is Kyungsoo’s obvious fascination with Minseok hyung and it makes him feel sick. Not sick as in he’s about to puke, more like he’s rather apprehensive about it. And it doesn’t help that Minseok hyung is anything but an ass.  
  
In fact, Minseok hyung is so perfect that he has a barista license, a degree, and an apartment where he has his own gym. That’s why his arms (guns, as Kyungsoo likes to call them) are so toned. Jongin doesn’t like any of this. He’s also very reliable, spewing advices about life like he’s a monk. A hot monk. He is everything that is ideal to Kyungsoo, and he would know because he knows Everything about Kyungsoo. It’s Kyungsoo, his best friend slash love interest since he was a child. Why wouldn’t he?  
  
The sea of angst inside Jongin continues to wreck all thoughts of fluff with Kyungsoo as he racks on more reasons why Kyungsoo won’t ever find him date-able. He doesn’t like wearing socks, he always cries, he likes anime too much, he doesn’t eat his greens as much as Kyungsoo always insists, he coddles Monggu too much, he’s too stupid to pass maths, and the list goes on. It’s almost like the roof didn’t shield Jongin from the rain at all, what with the gloomy cloud on top of his head.  
  
Jongin is about to spill tears for the thousandth time because of Kyungsoo when he feels a tap on his shoulder.  
  
There he is, the man of Jongin’s dreams, peering worriedly at him. “You okay?”  
  
_As a matter of fact, I’m not_.  
  
Jongin deletes the need to speak and ignores him, choosing to stare right at the incoming bus. In that instant, he feels absolutely ridiculous. Is he really being mad because Kyungsoo could like- no, be in love with someone else that’s not him?  
  
“YES, YOU MOTHERFUCKER. KYUNGSOO IS OURS, WE HAVE AN ISLAND DEDICATED TO HIM SINCE FOREVER, WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE MAD!” Chanyeol yells from where he’s being chained up near Suho’s cot. “UNTIE ME, YOU UNCULTURED SWINE!”  
  
“Not unless you calm down, we won’t.” Chen picks at his nose.  
  
“GRAAAAAAARGH.” Chanyeol roars loudly, the fire on his head wild as he shakes the cot. Suho, stranded is said cot, shrieks in fear. ~~Get it, because he’s Fear~~. “JONGIN DESERVES HIM!”  
  
Sehun just stares disapprovingly at his best friend, clamping his lips tight. “Chanyeol, you’re being so extra. It’s just teenage angst. It’s not that serious. And besides, Kyungsoo has shit fashion taste. That’s absolutely unacceptable.”  
  
“You mean, he has a Cool fashion taste. I seem to recall Jongin reading about how black is in right now.” Seulgi comes to Kyungsoo’s defence for no reason. She’s just nice like that.  
  
He redirects his judging stare towards her. “Yes, black is in. But they don’t mean black caterpillar padded jackets and caps. Those are Crimes against fashion, especially in this weather. And did you see his new hairdo? Might as well shave all of it.”  
  
“Savage,” Chen murmurs under his breath.  
  
Lay is still playing with the board with an anxious Baekhyun at his side hoping the guy knows what he’s doing. Considering how Jongin is close to tears, he probably doesn’t.  
  
“Hey, um,” Baekhyun begins. “Maybe we should cheer him up a bit, no? I mean, he’s had enough feelingsy feelings today, don’t you think?”  
  
Lay’s blue hair glows as he turns to look at Baekhyun. “I don’t know…”  
  
“Jongina, if this is about the thing at the café then I’m sorry, okay? Yes, you don’t like coffee, I know, but Minseok hyung insisted us to take a cup each today, so I couldn’t really say no, it’s a gift after all,” Kyungsoo tries to reason, taking the seat next to Jongin in an attempt to soothe him. “I always buy you hot chocolate to make it up to you after that, don’t I?”  
  
“SCREAMING. I AM SCREAMING. DID I HEAR WRONG?” Chanyeol is downright livid right now, the grinding sounds from the shackles a constant ringing in Baekhyun’s ear. “SO ALL THOSE TIME WE WASTED IN THAT WRETCHED CAFÉ WAS REALLY JUST TO ACCOMPANY HIM TO HIT ON MINSEOK?”  
  
“Wow, talk about plot twist. Kyungsoo is awful.” Even Sehun looks surprised. Not shocked though, that’s too much of a word to describe Sehun’s current expression. He _could_ look like he’s shocked, but that’s too much effort.  
  
Suho already faints in his cot, bless his pour soul.  
  
“I’m in~” Chen proudly announces his presence and presses his buttons.  
  
Jongin immediately stands up and puts a distance between him and Kyungsoo, inching closer towards the other end of the waiting bench. He tsks when the bus that arrives isn’t his. Kyungsoo’s confession really did something to him, he doesn’t really know what that something is, but maybe he’ll know with time. Time that doesn’t involve Kyungsoo around.  
  
Still, Kyungsoo closes the distance and places a tentative hand on his wrist, begging for just a bit of Jongin’s attention.  
  
“Oh no, you don’t.” Chen clucks his tongue. Chanyeol’s chains disappear as he marches to the board for a collaboration with the resident Pride in Jongin. Suho shivers in fear.  
  
“Jongina-“ Kyungsoo starts when he gets cut.  
  
“Can’t you take a hint? I need my space, Kyungsoo! I can’t always be your shadow! I can’t believe you dragged me all the way to that café every week just so you can chat up Minseok hyung! You know how much I hate coffee, don’t you? How could you?” Jongin finally explodes. Chanyeol and Chen are smiling smugly at each other, high-fiving and shaking hands.  
  
Flabbergasted, Kyungsoo flails a bit as he tries again. “You got it all wrong! I wasn’t-“  
  
“Wasn’t what? Wasn’t trying to get in his pants? Because we both know that’s a lie.” Jongin snaps, his face giving way for a frown. Lay peeks at the board behind Chanyeol’s shoulder.  
  
“I really wasn’t! Look, this is a misunderstanding, if you just listen-“  
  
Kyungsoo is cut off when Jongin sniffles, tears sliding down his smooth cheeks. Surprise doesn’t even begin to cover it. He widens his eyes when Jongin turns away, hands clambering to wipe at his eyes. The younger is flushed, cheeks red and Kyungsoo feels copious amount of guilt trapping him inside him mind. What just happened?  
  
“Jongin,” he tries.  
  
He gets a sharp glare albeit the glistening eyelashes, and that marks the second time Jongin storms away from him.  
  
  
  
  
That night, Jongin lies on his bed with Monggu snoring at his side. He stares at the ceiling, recalling what he had done. Kyungsoo had called him, texted him, even left him voice mails and vaguely threatening Kakaotalk messages to reach him. In the midst of his feelingsy feelings, he had ignored them all, curling into a ball as he gives gentle strokes to Monggu’s spine.  
  
In the headquarters, Baekhyun counts the yellow memory balls and frowns. He had made it his goal to collect at least 10 fond memories every day, but he’s one ball short today. Baekhyun feels dreadful, for the lack of better word. No matter, tomorrow can be a better day!  
  
“Jongin, Kyungsoo is waiting for you downstairs! Should I send him up?”  
  
Or not.  
  
Once again, the board is packed with everyone waiting, holding their breath. Seulgi twirls her pink hair nervously as the screen pans at Monggu, then at Jongin’s feet, then at his phone. Suho reflexively pulls at a gear.  
  
“O-Okay!” Jongin says, voice almost like a squeak. Chanyeol immediately hits Suho upside the head and shoves him aside. A second later, Jongin hits his own head with a loose fist. Chanyeol is Anger but a show of frustration doesn’t usually involve extreme self-harm. He saw that move in a K-drama and thought it would be adorable for Jongin to try.  
  
When the door knob is twisted, Suho comes back to his senses and pushes a button, sending Jongin to wrap himself in a self-pity burrito. His nerves make him tremble, which is stupid considering how it’s just Kyungsoo. Chen frowns quite strongly at this. This is not a show of pride, not at all.  
  
“Hey, Jongina,” Kyungsoo pops his head out from the door and enters silently. He spots the lump under the blankets and makes his way there. When Jongin feels the dip of the mattress beside him, Seulgi throws his hair clip towards the board, causing Jongin to wrap the burrito tighter around him, feeling all kinds of shame for acting like a kid.  
  
All right, Jongin is jealous. He is jealous that he’s not as perfect as Minseok hyung with his skilled poison (read: coffee) brewing skills, jealous that while he has the height, he will never be as muscle-y and buff as him. Jongin isn’t Minseok, he’s not an older man who Kyungsoo can rely on. He’s not as independent and definitely not as mature as Minseok. Jongin is just Kyungsoo’s friend, his childhood friend that bothers him every day. He’s just a younger man who relies on Kyungsoo a lot, whether it’d be taking care of him, or teaching him maths. Jongin will never be Minseok and it hurts him because Kyungsoo puts the older man on a pedestal, not realizing that he’s making Jongin’s self-worth goes down in return.  
  
Lay is obviously rolling on the board right then, he himself sobbing at the revelation. Suho pats him gently out of pity. Sinister Twins Chanyeol and Sehun couldn’t handle the drama so they already went to sleep, whereas Chen is a blink away from snoozing on the floor. Baekhyun huffs at the gloomy atmosphere. “We gotta fix this, Seul.”  
  
“I’m not sure where I can insert embarrassment in here, Baek.” Seulgi replies softly, pouting at the screen. “Disappointment is not in my line of work. That’s Lay’s.”  
  
“But still!” Baekhyun is very determined. “If we don’t do anything-“  
  
“It’s best to just see how it’ll unfold,” she gives her final words and steps near the board, keeping her focus on the screen. “Miracles do happen, you know.”  
  
Baekhyun bites on his nails, trying to be patient. Patience never really won him anything before, but since Seulgi says so, maybe it will for just this one time. So Jongin waits, waits for whatever Kyungsoo has in mind.  
  
“Are you really going to ignore me like this?” Kyungsoo starts, voice low but there’s a hint of something in it. Something that sounds a lot like hurt. Jongin isn’t very familiar with it. “Really, Jongin?”  
  
He doesn’t answer, doesn’t believe Kyungsoo deserves one.  
  
“At least cover your foot if you want to burrito yourself,” Kyungsoo chides, and while it’s just the usual Kyungsoo having his maternal instincts on overdrive, it also makes Jongin feels inadequate. He’s not a child, for god’s sake. Chanyeol wakes up and Baekhyun is already having a headache, knowing where this could go.  
  
“Will it kill you to shut up and let me do things my own way, for just one time.”  
  
Baekhyun gulps as he sees from the edge of screen how Kyungsoo flinched, like someone just whipped him on his back. Jongin’s voice wasn’t even loud, just very venomous and poisonous and hazardous. He’d try to stop Chanyeol, but the emotion was sizzling, not exploding like previously, and that in itself can potentially be more than just an explosion if he were to interfere. Taking a chance seems a bit crazy at the moment.  
  
To his credit, Kyungsoo recovers quickly. He bravely rips off the blanket from Jongin and pins him with a disapproving stare. Baekhyun thinks brave isn’t the right word for this. It should be dumb. Kyungsoo is dumb enough to even touch Jongin when Chanyeol is in charge. That’s his mistake.  
  
“Jongin! If you have something to say then face me like a man! Don’t just lie here cooped up!” Wow, he sure is mad. “Tell me what’s wrong! How should I know what your problem is with me if you won’t even tell me? Look, I’m sorry that I always want to meet at the café when I know you hate coffee, okay? Is that done? What else are you keeping away from me?”  
  
This time around, Seulgi sidekicks Chanyeol hard enough to stall him as Suho approaches the board.  
  
“I just, I-“ Jongin stutters, and Baekhyun facepalms. Suho is not the guy for this. “I just-“  
  
“Just what? Tell me,” Kyungsoo’s getting tired. It’s visible in the slouched form of him sitting. “I just want to know. Am I hurting you? I thought we’re best friends,” he says, but there’s a tick there, like he’s spitting the word out instead of saying it voluntarily.  
  
Lay, bless him, flicks a switch at the edge of the board, looking very determined for some reason. And the next sentence that tumbles out of Jongin’s mouth wakes up the entire headquarters.  
  
“Don’t call me your best friend. I hate it when you do that.” Jongin says, glancing at the beautiful side profile of the man he’s been pining since, well, forever. The beautiful slope of Kyungsoo’s nose, the cupid’s bow of his dreams, the plump lips that’s been haunting his every waking moment. He’s taking a big step, he knows, but he wouldn’t regret it. It’s now or never.  
  
His pulse is speeding up, the screen says. Sehun falls flat on his face because the ground won’t stop shaking. The headquarters is trembling courtesy of Jongin’s increase in heartbeat rate. “This isn’t healthy!” Suho screams.  
  
“Why is that?” Kyungsoo frowns, confused, and hurt laced in it. Jongin hates that Kyungsoo is hurt but if the man can be selfish, then so can he.  
  
“Because I love you, and after all these years of pining I think I deserve a better title than just ‘best friend’.”  
  
Time feels like it’s at a standstill, with everyone in the headquarters pausing everything they’re doing to see the endgame. The ticking of the clock as a reminder about Jongin’s sleep time remains ignored as they focus on the screen.  
  
Kyungsoo is slack-jawed, eyes wide as he processes the turn of events. Jongin sees it in the way he’d been opening and closing his lips like he has something to say, but can’t bring himself to say it, or he’s just too dumbfounded to reply. Baekhyun waits, and like that, Jongin also waits, wants to see if this patience thing really works.  
  
Baekhyun has Seulgi to thank for after this.  
  
“You idiot,” Kyungsoo says, lips quivering as he trains his glassy eyes on Jongin. “I’ve been waiting for so long to hear that. 17 years, Jongin. You’re such a slowpoke.”  
  
It is Chen who hollers first, commencing his scream-till-you-cream mission. He’s quickly followed by Suho and Lay, stomping around away from the board. Chanyeol is tearing up but the flame in his hair just makes it evaporate fast, but it’s okay.  
  
“What did I tell you?” Seulgi smugly asks, grabbing a nail polish to leave her job on the hands of Baekhyun. “See you tomorrow, pipsqueak.”  
  
“Huh.” Baekhyun replies in return, a semblance of a smile creeping up on his face.  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo Island expands greatly after that thanks to the newfound relationship between the two. Turns out, Kyungsoo just doesn’t have the guts to invite Jongin anywhere else besides the café because he’s afraid he’s going to mess up, which is why he’d always be near Minseok hyung. Minseok hyung had promised to be his wingman, of sort. Jongin belatedly tells Kyungsoo that Minseok hyung sucks at doing his job and gets an elbow on the rib.  
  
And a kiss on the lips.  
  
All in all, everything’s fine. Jongin’s got family, friends, and a boyfriend now. Not to mention his dogs. Things couldn’t be better. After all, Jongin’s 20 now. What could happen?

 


End file.
